This invention relates to a manually operated labelling apparatus, and more particularly to a manually operated, pneumatically controlled, portable labelling apparatus.
Manually operated label dispensing machines or devices are well-known in the art, such as that disclosed in the prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,255 of Guido Gottardo for a "PRICE LABELLING APPARATUS" issued Feb. 12, 1980.
The label dispensing apparatus disclosed in the above Gottardo U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,255, as well as other types of prior labelling apparatus, are designed to feed through the apparatus an elongated web or backing strip upon which the labels are serially and separably mounted. The apparatus is provided with a web entraining device which is adapted to peel back the continuous flexible backing strip or web to separate the individual labels from the backing web and dispense or apply the adhesive label upon the surface of an article.
In the above prior label dispensing apparatus, the web is fed in increments by a feeding mechanism, such as a ratchet and pawl feed mechanism, which is sequentially actuated by squeezing a pair of scissors-like handles. The operator generally squeezes a movable handle toward a fixed handle causing the printing head to descend and print indicia, such as the price, upon a forward label, and simultaneously retract the actuating mechanism in preparation for the next feeding movement. When the handles are manually released, a spring urges the handles apart causing the feeding mechanism to index the web one full label length, and simultaneously to retract the printing head.
Labelling apparatus such as those described above, are used in the apparel manufacturing industry for applying serially numbered labels to garment pieces in cloth layers, for shade marking. Such label applying apparatus also have other uses, such as in applying adhesive labels to commodities in super markets and merchandise stores of all types, and for inventory control. Because of the volume of articles that have to be labelled in such plants and stores, the operator is almost continuously squeezing and relaxing the handles, which creates substantial fatigue, muscle cramps and pain in the arms, hands and joints of the operator. In some garment factories, some operators have applied as many as 15,000-20,000 labels upon as many different garment pieces in a single day.
In the manipulation of the pivotally mounted handles in such portable label applying apparatus, sufficient effort must be expended in each squeezing operation to overcome the strength of the coil spring designed to restore the handles to their original position, as well as the various frictional forces created between the moving parts mounted within the base frame of the labelling apparatus.